Antarctic Minke Whale
|type = Other Fauna |length = 20ft (6m 10cm) |appearance = A small grey-and-white whale with a white band on its flippers. The minke has "smoky" patches where the grey back coloration and white belly coloration meet and blend together. |location2 = Weddell Sea |time = Day and night |forms = Adult only }}The Antarctic minke whale is a species of baleen whale only found in . Antarctic minkes are notable for being among the smallest species of rorqual whale in the world. In-Game Description "This relatively small, streamlined whale can be found in both the southern and northern hemispheres, but each group has a slightly different diet. Those in the southern hemisphere eat plankton and krill, while those in the northern hemisphere eat krill, herring, and other small fish." Location There are 4 Antarctic minke whales in the Weddell Sea, who patrol through coordinates A-1, A-2, and B-1. Some may go beyond the boundaries of the map but swim back in eventually. Coordinate Areas Antarctic_Minke_Whale_WS.png|Weddell Sea // A-1NE, A-1SW, A-1SE, A-2NW, A-2NE, B-1NW, B-1SW Behavior These whales, like all other dolphins and whales, provide rides to the player. They respond positively to the Sea Whistle. Antarctic minkes swim the lowest of any creature in the Weddell Sea and swim in an elliptical cycle. The whales swim up to a peak depth of around ~40 ft., right next to Small Iceberg A-s1289, and then turn around and swim downwards, descending to around ~120 ft. and swimming outside of the map, then swimming upwards back in after. Notes * This is one of Jean-Eric's favorite creatures. * During the main story of , a minke whale will swim up the Cortica River and end up at Spirit Falls. This individual will only appear once in a cutscene, cannot be interacted with, and appears only to sing the Song of Dragons. ** It is unknown if this was an Antarctic or regular minke; although the whale seen in-game uses an Antarctic minke model, this is likely because it was convenient to use an existing model, however, the characters refer to it simply as a "minke whale". Real-Life Information * These whales are classified as a Near Threatened species according to the IUCN Red List. The IUCN Red List notes, however, that the population is "clearly in the hundreds of thousands" -- in 2012, the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission put forth an estimate of there being ~515,000 Antarctic minkes in the world. * The Antarctic minke was first discovered by a fisherman in 1867 and was named B. bonaerensis that same year by German zoologist Hermann Burmeister. ** The Antarctic minke was only recently distinguished as a smaller, separate species of minke whale. * Antarctic minkes, like other species of minke whale, have no universal migration pattern and are found in a variety of different waters, from the open ocean to ice sheets, fjords, and estuaries. * Antarctic minkes, being among the smallest of the baleen whales in the world, grow to an average size of ~7.85 m in length, are estimated to weigh an average of around ~9,600 kg (~21,100 lbs) and are estimated to live between 50-70 years in age. ** Antarctic minke calves are generally weaned after about 6 months, by which point they have grown to around 4.6 m in length. * Antarctic minkes feed almost completely on krill, in particular, Antarctic krill and ice krill. Rarely, they have been found to have ingested creatures such as Antarctic silverfish, icefish, copepods, and lanternfishes. Antarctic minkes themselves are mainly preyed on by orcas. * The Antarctic minke, like the regular minke, has notably dolphin-like features; its snout is sharp and its head pointed, with a ridge from the snout leading up to its paired blowholes. These features make the Antarctic minke an agile swimmer amongst whales, able to make great lunges above the surface and "surf" large waves. Gallery AntarcticMinkeWhale.jpg Antarctic Minke Whale.png Category:Creatures Category:Dolphins and Whales Category:Cold-Water Life Category:Mammals Category:Cutscene Creatures Category:Jean-Eric's Favorite Creatures Category:Creatures That Offer Rides Category:Weddell Sea Creatures Category:Weddell Sea Category:Creatures in Blue World Category:Endless Ocean: Blue World Category:Creatures Found Day and Night Category:Adult-only Creatures Category:Cortica River Category:Cortica River Creatures Category:Cetaceans